Conduit-coupling.



B.. MaK. THOMAS.

coHnuIT ooUPLIsG LPPLIOATIUI FILED ILY 22. 190B.

Patented Har. 30, |909.

witnesses @j/1m q 114.4 attenant nur dan nu" w.. nauw. ne

UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT McIiEAN THOMAS, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNR TO THOMAS d; BETTS COMPANY, UF NEW YORK, h".

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification o! Letters Patent.

Patented Merch 30, 1909.

innemen med nay se, isos. semi No. mma.

To all 'whom it mai concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT MCKEAL' THOMAS, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Electrical- Conduit Couplers, of which 'the following description, in connection withthe accompanying draw'invs, isa specification, like numerels on the drawings designating like parts.

This invention relates to electrical con duit, end is of s ecial utility when used to couple together t e abuttin ends of the rigid or flexible metallic sheets v sed to contain and protect from injury the electrical conductors constituting interior systems for electric lighting, and also to couple such sheaths to the outlet boxes or similar electrical conduit members of such systems, although I contemplate the use of my invention in any field to which it is adapted by the nature of my im rovements.

the term sheath I designate the protectlve armor whether the same has a separate identity or is formed as a unitary stmoture with the conductor, as in the case of the "armored conductors" well known in the art.

An important object of my invention is to provides, owerul device to engage the end of such a s ieatli, or any suitable portion of it, and retain it in adjusted position without the necessity for the en ensive reliminary o eration of three-din the perip iery of the oath, or of three( g apertures in ythe coupler itself to receive a. threaded end of a sheath or to receive the binding screv.v which forms the retaining means, the nature of the coupling engagement in my improved device being,` such as to insure proper electrical connection between the several conduit members coupled.

Another object of my invention is to render available for use as such retain' and engaging member of the coupler a evice commonly known as a stove bolt, comprising a common heeded screw and nut which can be made et very low expense, is familiar in its mode oi' operation to the uuskilled workman, and is reliable in operation wherever installed.

The various features of my invention will be illustrated and described fully in the accompanying drawin and speci 1 pointed out in the c aims.

In the drawings, Figure I is e view in side elevation of a wel! known form of outlet box cations and in the construction of which my improvements have been embodied, parts being shown 1n section; Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of acoupler for the abutting ends of a plurality of sheathe- Figs. 3 to 5 are similar vlews of modiiied forms of couplers to be more fully described hereinafter.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration and description to enable resdy and comklete understanding of my improvements, t e part designated by the reference numeral 1 is s metal strep or collar member, one of which is shown in side elevation at the left of Fig. 1, and another in end elevation at the center of Fig. l, srranged to receive and surround partial] r a sheath 2, preferably near the end of the latter, the sheath in this instance consisting of a section of ilexible metallic conduit formed of spirally wound strips, it being desired to couple this sheath to an outlet box 3 so thatv conductors can be led directly from the sheath into the box thro h an a rture 4 in the side wall 5 of the box, the co ar 1, in the instance illustrated, bein cast integrally with the material ef the si e wall 5.

In accordance with my invention, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, I have let a gap in the strep 1 and extended the free ends or lugs 6 sbstntiaily 'parallel for a short distance, roviding each end with en aperture 7, Whic may be a plain, Unthreaded hole, and these holesdserve to receive the 1 1 or retailing' i evi com sin in the instance illustrated a cczermmonpand vell nut and head ser also to strap during shipment and prior to installa# tion of the sheath.

When constructed as above described, `und i if; after the sheath-end has been placed within knorm forni of stove bolt 8, with a nut 9 which lies between the lugs 6, While the head" 10 of the bolt lies outside of one of the lugsand affords ready means for operation, the i prevent acci? X. dental displacement of the bolt from the' g the strap with its mouth as neer the aperture 4 as convenient, preferably in contact with a i i rounded shoulder l1 which I with the strep,o

across the gap m the holes 7, the nut 9 being in the space between the perip prefer to form and the holt resting loosely Ulli` hery vof lthe `1 stenchA and the lug farthest from the LeniV l0, the latter may be' Q driver `and turned to drew the nut 9 mto en gegement with the periphery ofthe sheath,-

agedhy s screw are wedging the nut between the sheath und the l bolt, the strap servin at its portion l2 as n seat for the sheath, w ile the bolt resists the thrust of the nut, being held in place by the lugs 6. The engagement of the nut wit 1 the sheath serves to prevent the bolt 8 from moving longitudinally, und therefore 1t cannot esc-ope from the plain hole 1n the lug farthest from the heed of the screw. The bite of the nut into the periphery of the sheath forms a very strong mechanical con` nection, and a proper electrlcal connection between the sheath, the nut, the bolt, the strap and the electricel outlet box.

In Fig. l at 13, and 1n Fig. 4, I have shox-.u i a. collar or strap formed separately, and provided `with lugs 14 having apertures 15, a rounded protective shoulder 16, und a bolt 17 with nut 18 and operating heed 19, these parts all being similar in construction and operation to the parts similarly illustrated and already described, the device of this modified form however being ea. able of use as a, nipple or bushing indepen( en'flx of its connection with un outlet box or similar electrical conduit member, as shoun in Fig. e. To afford means for readily connecting to :i box or late such a seperate bushing nr niple, an the sheath on which it is mounted, I have shown the sheathsend es extended through the aperture 20 in the box wall and retained there by engagement of the strap with the box all adjacent the aperture.. If desired, a retaining collar 21 with n binding screw 22 may be provided outside the box Wall, this collar bein similar in construction and o eration to t e collars already descri exce t that the protective shoulder is omitted, t e term cono-1" being used genericaily to designate u. suit-able form of ui.- tachi U member to serve as a. support for the bolt with its nut arranged to traverse the path of the article to which the attachment is to be secured, whether er not such member corr onds in specific detail to that illustrate In this instance, when the head 23 of the bolt or scree.v 22 is rotated it draws the nut 24 toward the lug 25 and clamps the strap or collar upon the eriphery of the sheath 26, the bolt rotating in the plain hole 27.

In Fig. 2 I have shown e coupler device suitable for joininv the shutting ends of sheet-hs 28 and 29, the former being o. flexible armored conductor, While the latter is a. rigid unthreaded armor tube, the coupler preferably having a 1n ediel interior rounded shoulder 30 serving as e common abutment for the sheath-ends and protecting the conductors 31 from abrasion, as the shoulder preferably is less in interior diameter than the shenths. The reference numeral 32 designates the body or shank of the coupler, `.vhich is provided in accordance with my invention with collars or straps 33 near each end, these straps having preferably lugs .'S- with pluim holes 35 in which is mounted nl eur-h und u bolt 3G with head 37 und provided wir h u outy 38, these parts operating similarly 1o those described with reference to similarly vonstrurted parts illustrated in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 shows nr coupling,r deriro having nl one end a socket or interiorly threaded mouth 39 to receive the threaded end of a rigid armor tube 4U, und preferably having a rounded inner shoulder or abutment 4l. while at the other end the structure of the coupler includes :i collar or stra 42 with lugs 43 having holes 44 in which p nys a bolt 45 with head 46 und nut 47, these iuris cooperating to bind together the coupler und e. sheath such as that shown in Fig. 1, or any desired forni ol sheath which it may be desired to connect to the tube 40 by means of the coupler.

At the right hund side of Fig. l, l have shown a. forni oi coupling conunoidy known as a box connector, comprising in rheinstance illustrated a body portionV 4S having :i reduced neck 49 to pass a well aperture 5() in the box and hin-'ing u strap or coller portion 5l provided with e bolt 52 and nut 53, operating us already described with reference to the similar parts illustrated elsewhere in Fig. l. The reduced portion of the connect-or preferably terminates rearwardly in. an interior rounded protective shoulder 54. to prevent abrasion of the conductors, und an exterior shoulder 55, to limit the entrance of the connector into the box, its neel; preferably being threaded exterior-ly to receive u retaining nut 56.

In Fig. 4 I here shown in perspective the Coupler illusil'uied ui [he boiiul'u oi' Fig. l, the outlet box und she-nih being omitted, and in Fig. 5 I have shown in perspective the loc-lf. coller also illustrated et the bottom of Fig. l, these figures indicating the general utiiity as nn attachment of the invention herein disclosed.

Having described my invention thus fully end suitable means for Carrying the same into effect I Wish it understood thatl I do not iiuii myself tu any' spur-dic nmiet'lul, 110i= iu the specifieoonstruction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, nor in general otherwise than ns set forth in the claims rend in connection with this specifi.- cut-ion.

Specific claims upon the form of my invention illustrated 1n Fig. 3, and that illustrated at the right hand side of Fig. 1, are contained in my application Serial No. 453,838, which hns been divided from this present application.

That I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. An attachment of the class described; comprising an actuating member; n. bindin member thereon; und means to support sui( aotuatmmember on both sides of said bindactuating member into binding engagement ing mem er adjacent the path of the article with which attachment is to be eii'ected, to

with said sheath, to couple together' said l sheath and attachment; said attaching porpernlit traversal by said bindingr member.

upon, and by means of, operation of said actuating member, to move said binding; member into binding engagement. with said article, to couple together said article and attachment; substantially as described.

2. An attachment of the class described; comprising a screw; a nut thereon and means to support said screw on both sides of said nut adjacent the path of the article with which attachment is to be effected, to permit traversal by said nut upon, and by means of, rotation of said screw, to move said mit into binding engagement with said article, to couple together said article and attachment; substantially as described.

3. .An attachment of the class described; comprisine' an attaching portion to receive the end or a sheath; an actuating member provided with a binding member; and means to su port said actuating member on both sides o said binding member with said binding member in position to be moved by said actuating mem er into binding engagement with said sheath, to couple together said sheath and attachment; substantially as described.

4. An attachment of the class described; comprising an attaching portion to receive f:

the end of a sheath; an actuating member provided with a binding member; and means to support said actuating member on both sides of said binding member with said binding member in osition to be moved by said actuatin mem er transversely across, and into binding engagement with said sheath, to couple together said sheath and attachment; substantially as described.

5. An attachment of the class described; comprising an attaching portion to receive the and of 2, sheath; an actuating member provided with a binding member; and means to support said actuating member on both sides of said binding mem er with said binding member in position to be moved by said actuating member into binding engagement with said sheath to couple together said sheath and attachment; and means to connect said attaching portion with another electrical conduit member; substantially as described.

6. An attachment of the class described; comprising an attaching portion to receive the end of a sheath; an actuating member provided with a binding member; and means to support said actuating member on both sides of said binding member with said binding member in position to be moved by said tion having a rounded protective shoulder adjacent the mouth of said sheath, and of less diameter' than the bore thereof; substantially as described.

7. An attachment of the class described; comprisin an att-aching portion to recei\'e the ends o a pluralityof sheaths; a plurality of actuating members each provided with a binding member; and means to support said actuating members respectively on both sides of their several binding members with each of said binding members in position to be moved by its actuating member into binding engagement with one of said sheaths, to couple said sheaths to said attaclmient and to each other; substantially as described.

8. A coupler of the class described; coinprising a strap member arranged to surround partially and engage a conduit member and raving opposed apertures in its ends; a screw in said apertures and bridging the gap between said ends; and a nut upon said screw and arranged to be moved, by rotation thereof, into binding engagement with said conduit to secure said coupler and conduit together, substantially Vas described.

9. A binding device of the class described comprising a collar or strap having a gap, a Screw bolt e aging said collar on each side ofthe gap mili; supported by said strap across said gap and a nut mounted on said screw bolt in said gap, and actuated by rotation of said screw bolt lto traverse said gap, substaniallgf in the manner and for the purpose set ort 1U. A binding device of the class described; comprismg e strap or collar member having a plurality o'r' apertured lugs; a screw bolt mounted loosely m said lug apertures; and a nut on said bolt intermediate said lugs, said bolt havingr an operating head outside of one of said lugs; substantially as described.

11. An attachment of the class described; comprising a U-shaped collar provided with apertures near the ends of its arms, and a screw supported loosely in said apertures and rovlded with a. nut between said arms and aving an actuating head outside one arm; said arts being arranged to operate substantie y in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at New York in the countyT and State of New York this eleventh day of May,

ROB. MCKEAN THOMAS. Witnesses:

ALEXANDER C. PROUDFIT, ADNAH McMUa'rnm. 

